Spencer’s body trembled, “Harper agreed. It was consensual. Why do you have the right to lay hands on me?”
Harper was already frightened out of her wits.
“What are you standing there for? Is what he said true?” Evelyn gave her a cold glance.
Harper immediately shook her head, “No, he’s lying.”
The commotion had attracted people from upstairs and downstairs. Soon, even Caleb rushed over upon hearing the noise.
Seeing the state of the three individuals, he furrowed, and he looked at Evelyn, “I remember warning you not to cause trouble again, otherwise…”
Sensing the threat, Harper quickly stepped forward. “Minister Caleb, don’t blame her, it’s…”
“What is it?” Spencer interjected, “You’re going to fabricate another bunch of lies to slander me, right? Minister Caleb, you must clear my name in this matter.”
“I just came to the lab to check the progress of the nutrition pack experiment. Who knew that as soon as I entered, this Harper targeted me. When her advances were rejected, she resorted to desperate measures to defame me, truly despicable.”
Evelyn really wanted to crush him after hearing his words. But she couldn’t break the law, so she had to endure for now.
“That woman usually looks quite innocent, but who would have thought…”
“Heh! Innocence nowadays is just an illusion.”
“Evelyn is so proactive, is she trying to force Spencer together with that Harper?”
“Spencer is really pitiful.”
Spencer nodded satisfactorily at these remarks, his gaze becoming more arrogant.
Harper, with a pale face, explained, “I didn’t, I really didn’t.”
Caleb didn’t even spare her a glance. Instead, he asked, “If you didn’t, do you have any evidence??”
Harper’s face turned even paler.
Evelyn was shocked.
Could Caleb, this scumbag, be any more biased?
Spencer became even more pleased, falsely comforting Caleb, “Minister Caleb, don’t be angry. As long as they can provide evidence to prove that I’ve really done those things, I’ll admit it.”
Upon hearing this, Evelyn glanced at the camera-less lab and had a plan.
“Team leader,” Harper grabbed Evelyn’s hand with a look of gratitude, “Don’t worry about me. I can leave the research institute if needed.”
She still had a conscience, not wanting to drag Evelyn down. She hung her head, tears falling one by one, but she didn’t let go of Evelyn’s hand, fearing that Evelyn might do something else and really offend Caleb.
Evelyn’s gaze softened for a moment.
She looked at Caleb and suddenly felt an impulse to take action in her career. The sooner she regained control of the research institute, the sooner she could send these scumbags back to where they came from.
Evelyn’s eyes turned dark, filled with aggression.
Caleb disliked this feeling immensely, “As Spencer said, if you can find evidence, then he…”
“Will admit it?” Evelyn’s expression turned icy, “If the evidence is irrefutable, does he even have a choice but to admit it?”
Spencer didn’t care what she said, continuing to boast, “The prerequisite for having irrefutable evidence, Evelyn, is to actually have evidence. Where’s your evidence?”
To prevent the leakage of confidential information, the research institute’s rules prohibited the installation of cameras in the laboratories, but there was no mention of audio recording.
Evelyn had noticed this loophole when she came to the research institute and had placed a recording pen under her desk.
After all, there were too many people who wanted to harm her…
“Evidence is something that not only appears but also arrives on time. Spencer, next time you do something despicable, remember to be more mindful.” Evelyn let go of Harper and took out a black recording pen from under the table.
She glanced at the time and adjusted the recording to before the incident.
After a rustling sound, the recording captured the sound of the door opening, followed by Spencer’s lecherous voice.
“Harper, getting into the research institute must have been quite difficult for you, right?”
“As long as you behave, not only can you stay…”
“Harper, you smell even better than I imagined…”
Each word made everyone’s expression change drastically. They cursed Spencer for being disgusting.
“You’re talking nonsense. These… these recordings were all pre-recorded and synthesized using my voice.” Spencer rushed forward to complain, “Minister Caleb, did you see that? Harper was just bait. That was their plan all along, too insidious, too malicious.”
Caleb hadn’t been foolish enough to show blatant bias in front of the evidence. He was simply observing Evelyn’s next move.
Evelyn looked up at the people outside, their expressions loosening… She sighed again, feeling disappointed. The recruitment standards of the research institute were too low. It seemed like everyone was so foolish.
She looked at Spencer with a face full of disappointment, “Spencer, I thought you were just foul-mouthed, but I didn’t expect you to be so stupid.”
Evelyn continued to play the recording, and it went on for a long time, until the moment she took off the recording pen.
After listening, Spencer’s face turned ashen.
“Do you still think I’m faking it, Spencer? And do you think they, including Minister Caleb, are all actors I hired?”
“Minister Caleb? Did I pay you guys for acting? Do you want me to pay you now?” Evelyn mocked, her eyes filled with sarcasm.
Caleb’s face was livid with anger, he said, “No need.”
“Minister Caleb, I was really confused. I didn’t do it on purpose,” Spencer said, his face twisted in a mournful expression.
“I will discuss this matter with the higher-ups of the institute and make a decision later,” Caleb said firmly, picking up the experimental records of the nutrition pack, “Now that the development of the nutrition pack is imminent, and Spencer is a key figure, everything will revolve around the government project. The outcome of the disciplinary action will be announced on the day the project ends.”
With that, he walked away without looking back.
The people outside looked at each other, understanding the implication in Caleb’s words.
The nutritional packet project was being given significant attention. If successful, Spencer would have been the primary contributor. At that point, with merits offsetting demerits, apologizing and offering some compensation would have sufficed.
After everyone dispersed, Spencer regained his confidence, “Considering the pros and cons, I will always be more important than you, Evelyn. I advise you to think twice.”
With a smirk, he stared at Harper for a while, “Don’t forget what I said. Once I get rid of this woman, you will still be mine.”
Harper shivered at his words…
After he left, Evelyn reminded Harper, “Take care of yourself.”
As she was about to leave, Harper clung to her, “Team leader, thank you just now. Let me treat you to a meal?”
Evelyn was just about to refuse, but Harper hastily interjected, “I know I haven’t been cooperating well with your work before, and I know I was wrong. From now on, I’ll be your little sidekick. Wherever you go, I’ll follow…”
Thirty minutes passed, and Evelyn, watching Harper still blabbering on, deeply felt she had underestimated Harper’s ability to be annoying.
Unable to bear it any longer, she reluctantly agreed to go out for a meal with her.
Besides work, Harper’s favorite thing to do was eating. She had tried all the eateries near the institute.
Soon, the two were sitting in a small restaurant. Harper looked a bit embarrassed, “Team leader.”
“Team leader sounds too formal, doesn’t it? From now on, I’ll call you Evelyn, just like Samuel. Evelyn, don’t mind the simplicity of this place. The landlady has been running it for over thirty years, and the food here is really amazing.”
Evelyn agreed, the taste was incredibly enticing.
But just after taking a couple of bites, she noticed two unfriendly-looking men at the next table. They were murmuring something, and Evelyn, with her keen hearing, caught keywords like “research institute” and “reagent.”
Her expression changed in an instant, just as she was about to ask for clarification, Harper nervously grabbed her arm.
“Evelyn, don’t go, and forget it quickly,” Harper’s voice trembled with fear.
“Harper,” Evelyn’s tone was alert, “Do you know about this?”
Harper avoided eye contact, refused to eat anymore, and forcefully pulled Evelyn out.
Once they were in a narrow alley, Harper let out a long sigh of relief and leaned against the wall.
“Harper,” Evelyn raised her voice.
Harper immediately looked up, her gaze becoming evasive again.
“I’ll ask you again. Did you know about what just happened?”
“Evelyn, we can’t afford to mess with this. These people…” She seemed to recall something and burst into tears.
Evelyn didn’t move, just let her cry.
After patting her shoulder and squatting down, Evelyn asked, “Those people, are they selling reagents from the research institute?”
Harper visibly hesitated.
Evelyn didn’t need an answer, she knew she was right.
She had considered the possibility of such activities in the institute, so knowing about it didn’t surprise her. Deal with it when it happens, Evelyn was never afraid of trouble.
Upon seeing Evelyn stand up again, Harper finally sobered up and grabbed her sleeve. “Evelyn, we can’t afford to mess with them, really.”
“A colleague of mine discovered them before and reported to the institute. But then she disappeared completely.”
“It’s been two years, she must be… dead.”